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Saturday, July 4, 2015

Chiles Toreados

Chiles Toreados are super quick to make when you need to spice-up a meal, particularly tacos and grilled meats. It is also an easy recipe since you just need few ingredients like jalapeños or serrano peppers, oil, lime juice and salt, which most of you already have in your kitchen. Chiles Toreados are sometimes served with salsa bowls at taquerias and steak restaurants in Mexico. Nowadays, cooks will serve Chiles Toreados with a few drops of soy sauce, a tradition that started at Chinese restaurants in Mexico, and later on it became popular to add other sauces as well, like Worcestershire sauce or Maggi Seasoning sauce.

Chiles Toreados are typically served with spring onions, which are prepared the same way as the peppers. Every cook has his/her own particular way to season and serve them. I always ask for them when I go out for dinner at Tex-Mex restaurants and we order fajitas or grilled chicken. Even if they are not in the menu, you can ask your server about them. I’m sure the cook will be glad to prepare them for you. But to make them at home, here you have the recipe.

SERVES 6INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6-8 serrano peppers or 4 jalapeños

1 tablespoon of lime juice

2 teaspoons of soy sauce (optional)

NOTES:

If you want to add spring onions, add 6 spring onions when preparing the peppers.

You can also make a small incision with a sharp knife to the peppers to avoid them from bursting while cooking.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Gently press down the peppers with your hand or with a spoon, in a rolling movement. This step will release the flavor and heat from the seeds and veins of the peppers.

2. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet at medium-high heat. Wait until the oil is hot and add the peppers (and spring onions if using) and let them fry, turning frequently until they form light golden blisters on their skins. (Do not let them burn because they will develop a bitter taste.) In about 4 to 5 minutes they will be ready.

3. Remove them from skillet and place them in a serving bowl; add the lime juice and season with salt. If you want to add soy sauce, sprinkle a few drops to the lime juice and stir before adding it to the peppers (avoid the salt because the soy sauce is already salty). Serve warm or at room temperature.

To eat the peppers, cut them into bite-size pieces with a fork and knife in your plate.

¡Buen provecho!

Mely

So what are your favorite peppers? Do you have a special way to cook them? Share your ideas in the comments section.